Ludlow mother, grandparents charged in death of 18-year-old

LUDLOW, Ky. (WKRC) - A Ludlow mother and grandparents are all charged in connection to the death of a disabled 18-year-old.

Jamie Bishop, Raymond Martin, and Sharon Martin are all facing manslaughter charges. Joseph Bishop had muscular dystrophy and couldn't leave his bed. He was taken to Children’s Hospital on February 10, but died the next day.

Police believe his death was due to infection from bedsores that had festered. He was not turned and that led to the sores. Investigators believe Joseph didn't receive proper care.

Chief Scott Smith of the Ludlow Police Department said, “They were sores, yes, that if someone would have called for help and asked for help it would have never got to this point.” He continued, “I can’t say that it was deliberate, what I can say is that this person laid stationary and was not moved and was not cared for properly.”

It all occurred in a house on Lake Street where all of the people in question lived. Local 12 spoke with a neighbor who said even though she’d been there for several years, she was not aware that there was an 18-year-old living in the house with a medical condition.

She did not want to be identified but told Local 12 News, “I’m aggravated because I could have helped them. I took them to the grocery store, my son has helped them, and it’s devastating to know that there was somebody else living in that house that needed attention and he didn’t get it.”

The Chief said the charges stemmed from gross negligence by the three caregivers.

Bishop and Raymond Martin are in the Kenton County jail on a $50,000 bond. Sharon Martin will appear in court Thursday, February 16.